Buckle.



PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905 L. SANDERS.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION I'ILED AUG. so. 1905.

m e M ma N49 M u 0 L ATTORNEYS I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed August 30, 1905. Serial No. 276,336.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS SANDERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Buckle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a simple and durable form of buckle particularly adapted for use in connection with the back straps of trousers, vests, and like garments, but which maybe otherwise employed, and to so construct the buckle that it will be practically flat, comprising but two parts a tongue and a frameand which two parts have supporting and locking engagement when the buckle is looked upon a strap.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved buckle, the tongue being in looking position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the buckle, showing the tongue closed in positive lines and open in dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

A represents the frame of the buckle, and B the tongue. The frame is made in one piece and is of skeleton formation, comprising a front fiat horizontal bar 10, a corresponding rear bar 11, and side bars 12, which extend upwardly or are at a right angle to the front and rear bars, as is particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

About centrally between the ends of the side bars 12, at the lower edge of the inner faces of said side bars, stirrups 13 are formed of spring metal, which stirrups may be attached to or may constitute integral portions of said side bars. The stirrups are best shown in Fig. 3, wherein it will be observed that each stirrup consists of an inwardly-extending horizontal bearing member a and an upwardlyextending clamping or looking member a, the latter being at the end of the bearing member and is more or less curved in direction of the side bars 12 of the frame.

The tongue B is flat, and its pivot-bar 15,

which is at the rear of the tongue, extending an equal distance from its sides, is in the same plane at the top and bottom with the corresponding portions of the tongue. The trunnions 16 of the pivot-bar 15 of the tongue are pivoted in the side bars 12 of the frame a slight distance to therear of the stirrups 13, as is shown in Fig. 1. At each end portion of the said pivot-bar 15 of the tongue within the frame A a forwardly-extending flat finger 17 is formed, and when the tongue is in looking position in the frame, as is shown by positive lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the serrated outer or clamping edge 14 of the tongue is opposite and quite close to the inner edge of the front bar 10 of the frame, and at such time the upper and lower faces of the tongue B are in the stirrups and being held locked in such position until purposely released by the engagement of the upwardly-extending locking members a of said stirrups with the said fingers.

It will be observed that when the tongue is in looking position in the frame it does not touch the forward portion of the frame, and consequently without a proper support the tongue would drop downward. Such support is furnished by the bottom members of the stirrups 13, which limit the downward or inward movement of the tongue.

The free end of one member C of the strap or the member to be clampedis passed between the tongue and the front bar 10 of the frame while the tongue is in its upper position, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) and when the tongue is forced down to its closed and locking position the strap is effectually gripped between the inner edge of the front bar 10 of the frame and the opposing toothed edge of. the tongue.

It will be observed that a buckle constructed as above described is exceedingly simple. It is economic, and its tongue can be quickly brought into locking position and will be held in such position until purposely carried therefrom, which can be quickly and conveniently accomplished by simply pressing the tongue outward from the back. Furthermore, the buckle is fiat and has no tendency to wear the garment to which it is applied.

ICC

- the said stirrups, thereby limiting the movement of the tongue and locking it in closed position.

2. As an improved article of manufacture,

a buckle comprising a skeleton frame and stirrups extending inward from the side pieces of the frame, each stirrup comprising a lower horizontal member and an upwardly-extending locking spring member having more or less of a curvature in direction of the said side pieces of the frame, a tongue provided with a pivot-bar, which pivot-bar is fulcrumed in the sides of theframe at the rear of the stirrups, and forwardly-extending fingers car ried by the said pivot-bar of the tongue within the frame, which fingers when the tongue is closed enter the said stirrups being supported and clamped thereby, the said tongue being of sufficient length to extend only to the inner edge of the front bar of the frame when the tongue is in closed position, at which time the upper and lower portions of the tongue are in substantially the same horizontal plane with the corresponding portions of the said front bar of the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS SANDERS.

Witnesses:

J. FRED. AcKER, EVERARD B. MARSHALL. 

